Treatment of neuritis of the facial nerve

Neuritis, Bell's paralysis or facial neuropathyThe nerve is a disease that develops due to the presence of an edema compressing the facial nerve. To the onset of the disease leads to infringement of the facial nerve, impaired blood supply to the nerve channel and edema. Prerequisites for neuritis may be a feature of the structure of the nerve channel, which for each person is individual, and cooling by draft or using an air conditioner located behind the ear of the cervical region. Whatever it was, the treatment for neuritis of the facial nerve should be professional.

Facial neuritis is the primary - Tunnel, catarrhal, ischemic, arising on the background of hypothermia of the neck area behind the auricle. This type of neuritis is typical for people with a narrow structure of the temporal canal.

Secondary neuritis include:

• Hunt's syndrome (neuritis with shingles),representing a relapse of latent varicella, and combining herpetic eruptions on the mucous membrane of the pharynx, the tip of the tongue and the auricle, with all manifestations of facial neuritis;
• neuritis of the facial nerve on the background of chronic otitis occurs when the infection-inflammatory process passes by contact from the middle ear;
• a rare disease - the syndrome of Melkerson-Rosenthal, is hereditary in nature and paroxysmal. Includes a dense face, tongue, and neuritis of the facial nerve;
• neuritis of the facial nerve in the "mumps" (epidemic parotitis) is accompanied by an increase in body temperature and swelling of the salivary glands.

Neuritis of the facial nerve can occur inresult of injuries, complications from infections or hypertensive crisis with relapsing and bilateral forms of the disease. Treatment of neuritis of the facial nerve is appointed depending on its cause.

The manifestation of facial neuritis is a noticeablelimiting the movement of facial facial muscles, increasing asymmetry of the face - skewing to the healthy side, smoothing and lowering the nasolabial fold in the corner of the mouth, widening the eyelids on the affected side of the face and impossibility to screw up the eye (Bell's symptom), raise an eyebrow, smile, frown. The ability to taste is lost. Perhaps the appearance of lachrymation and the symptom of "crocodile tears", drooling and dryness of the eyeball. It is also possible to increase the sensitivity of sound on the affected side.

EMG (electromyography) is used for precise diagnosis and determination of the degree of muscle damage. Also can appoint CT or MRI to exclude possible other diseases of the nervous system.

To avoid any residual phenomena and possiblecomplications treatment of the neuritis of the facial nerve should be started as soon as possible. It is recommended to use corticosteroids - prednisone: in the morning - 60 mg orally, 5 days in a row. For the next 10-14 days, the dose should be gradually reduced to a complete cancellation. Such a norm of the drug is safe and allows to minimize the edema and paralysis of the facial nerve inside the canal, the treatment will give a complete recovery. Pain behind the auricle passes faster. In open eyelids recommend to instill a preparation of artificial tears.

Conduct a careful massage of the facial area,the collar zone and the occiput, gradually increasing its strength. Therapeutic physical exercises for facial muscles and physiotherapeutic procedures after the acute process is shown.

Treatment of neuritis of the facial nerve can bedifficult. Therefore, for the treatment of badly difficult cases, sedatives are used - sibazol, sedusin, reium 4 times a day for 5-10 ml and phenobarbate 3 times a day for 30-60 mg. Reduces muscle spasms, reducing anxiety. To improve the course of the disease, you can use diphenine 1 time per day for 300 mg. However, if the drug does not have the expected therapeutic effect, after two weeks it is canceled.

Treatment of secondary neuritis is performed with treatment of the underlying disease. Patients recover after 2-3 weeks. During the year, the process of final restoration of all functions takes place.

Neuritis of the facial nerve in children and adults is dangerousits complications - the contructure of the muscles of the face. This is the reduction of the affected muscles, creating the impression that the healthy side of the face is paralyzed. Characteristic is an involuntary contraction of the facial muscles and a feeling of strong contraction. It can occur after 4 to 6 weeks with incomplete recovery of facial muscle functions.